Frank Schilling
 | This article contains text that is written in a promotional tone. (July 2024) |
Frank T. Schilling | |
|---|---|
 Photograph by EMG Cayman, 2024 | |
| Born | Frank Taylor Schilling July 29, 1969 Tübingen, Germany |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, Investor |
| Nationality | Canadian / Caymanian |
| Notable works | Uniregistry, Aphrodise |
| Website | |
| www | |
Frank T. Schilling (born July 29, 1969) is a Canadian and Caymanian entrepreneur. Born in Germany, Schilling grew up in Canada and moved to the Cayman Islands c. 2003 (at the age of 34).[1]
Career
[edit]The Domain Name Industry
[edit]Since the turn of the century, Schilling has been a repeat entrepreneur, investor, technology thought leader and connector. As the founder of the Name Administration Inc. and later Uniregistry, Schilling was behind the management of more than 5,000,000 domain names along with the fastest growing domain name registrar and aftermarket sales platform in the World.[2]
In 2003, Schilling financed the Caribbean's first ICANN accredited domain name registrar. He joined as a member of the ICANN business constituency and co-founded the non-profit Internet Commerce Association in 2006.[3]
In 2012, Schilling was revealed by CNET as the financial backer of Uniregistry.[1] In 2019, Uniregistry became a top 10 registrar of domain names across new GTLD's and existing CCTLD's. His registry services platform operated and provided back-end registry services to more than 30 top level domain names.
On February 11, 2020 Godaddy announced that it had acquired the assets of Schilling's Name Administration Inc., as well as the Uniregistry registrar, its secondary marketplace and Uniregistry investments in New York-based Brandsight.com for an undisclosed sum.
Creative Ventures
[edit]Following his success in the domain name industry, Schilling pursued more creative ventures. He is an active angel investor whose fund has early investments in Triller, Desktop.com, and ZoomProp.
Schilling formed GoldFYR Records, an independent music record label with partners Yannick "Vasco Got the Recipe" Powell, and Rico Rolando. GoldFYR endeavored to empower young music artists who would otherwise not have had a voice. Many talented R&B and hip hop musicians including Rico Rolando, Lonney Love, and Teodoro 'Teö' were signed to the label and are still actively growing their music catalogs today.
On June 23, 2021, it was announced that Schilling was the developer behind Port Zeus, the first man-made safe harbour in the Cayman Islands on the island of Cayman Brac.[4] Port Zeus is located in the approximate vicinity where Christopher Columbus discovered the Cayman Islands in 1503.
In 2022, Schilling co-published an independent novel with economist Andrei Polgar titled Omnia Vincit: The Universe Wants You To Win. The novel touches on the beliefs that shaped his "rags to riches" journey and the lessons that transitioned his pursuit of financial gain toward goals centered in meaning and purpose — and how both intersect.
To honor his Canadian roots, Schilling installed 'Alice,' a 17,000 pound hand-made steel T-rex dinosaur sculpture in the city of Penticton in British Columbia.[5] The sculpture was quickly designated a new cultural landmark in the Okanagan Valley.
In the Summer of 2023, Schilling opened Mykonos Steak Club, a dining destination on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. He is also the creator of Aphrodise, the popular Greek sparkling rosé.[6]
Schilling plays himself and his various business interests are presented in Season 1 of the Hulu and Freeform series ''Grand Cayman: Secrets in Paradise''.
Personal life
[edit]He has four children.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Christopher Kompanek (2014-03-07). "Frank Schilling and the rise of the web domain name industry". Financial Times. Retrieved 2015-05-03.
- ^ Jackson, Ron (December 2007). "Nice Guy Finishes First: How Frank Schilling Won the Domain Race After Starting at the Back of the Pack". DN Journal. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
- ^ a b Jackson, Ron (November 2006). "T.R.A.F.F.I.C. East 2006: How Domain History was Made at the Westin Diplomat". DN Journal. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
- ^ James Whitaker (2021-06-23). "Marina and Village Part of Schilling's Brac Plan". Cayman Compass. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
- ^ "Giant metal T-Rex assumes lookout over Penticton". CBC. 2023-09-22. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ Sayej, Nadja. "Aphrodise Rosé Is Quickly Becoming The Fashionista Bubbly Of Choice". Forbes. Retrieved 11 July 2024.